PEDIGREE Foundation Calls on Pet Lovers Nationwide to Foster a Pet this Summer

The Foster 50 initiative aims to increase foster participation to ease shelter overcrowding and help more animals find forever homes

FRANKLIN, TN, UNITED STATES, April 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Animal shelters and foster-based rescue organizations across the country continue to face critical capacity challenges, with 2025 ending with more dogs and cats in shelters than when it began. The need to move pets out of shelters and into homes at a faster pace is clear, and one of the best ways pet lovers can help is by fostering.

Providing a temporary home environment – whether it’s for weeks, a few days or even just an afternoon – can significantly improve an animal’s chances of finding a family. In fact, according to data from Maddie’s Fund, dogs are 14 times more likely to be adopted after a foster sleepover, and both dogs and cats who spend time in foster care are less likely to be returned after adoption. Additionally, fostering reduces the length of stay in shelters, allowing staff to focus on other adoption-driving needs, such as behavioral support, transport efforts and medical care.

To increase foster participation nationwide, a coalition of animal welfare organizations – led by PEDIGREE Foundation and including Maddie’s Fund, Adopt a Pet, MuttNation Foundation, ASPCA, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, Mutual Rescue and Outcomes for Pets Consulting – is leading an initiative called Foster 50. This summer, the Foster 50 coalition is rallying pet lovers from coast to coast to welcome a foster pet into their homes – with the hope of helping pets across all 50 states. The coalition is also providing free online resources to help guide volunteers on their foster journeys.

“Shelters and rescues cannot solve their capacity challenges alone, which is why the Foster 50 coalition came together to shine a light on the lifesaving power of fostering,” said Deb Fair, Executive Director of PEDIGREE Foundation. “Pet lovers everywhere can be part of the solution. Fosters aren’t just providing comfort and individualized care for a pet in need. They’re also able to learn valuable insights about each pet’s unique personality and needs, which could help match them with the right forever family.”

In 2025, its inaugural year, Foster 50 drove meaningful impact across more than 200 communities nationwide. The initiative recruited more than 9,000 new foster parents, increased active foster participation by 11% and placed nearly 37,000 dogs and cats into foster homes – more than 11,000 of whom were adopted.

In tandem with the call for pet lovers to foster this summer, shelters and rescues across the country have joined the Foster 50 Challenge. Participating organizations are working to grow and strengthen their foster programming for a chance to earn a Foster 50 Challenge Grant to further their lifesaving work. PEDIGREE Foundation, Maddie’s Fund, Adopt a Pet and MuttNation Foundation are providing a total of $240,000 in grant funding. While the Foster 50 Challenge runs from May 1 through July 31, the insights gained will empower shelters and rescues to enhance and grow their lifesaving foster work long after the challenge ends.

Pet lovers interested in fostering are encouraged to contact their local shelters or rescues to learn about available opportunities. Whether looking to foster for one hour, one day, one week or one month, it all matters in helping more dogs find forever homes.

To learn more about Foster 50 and find a participating organization nearby, visit PEDIGREEFoundation.org/Foster50Challenge.

About PEDIGREE Foundation
We believe every dog deserves a loving, forever home. PEDIGREE Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to help end pet homelessness. Nearly 3 million dogs end up in shelters and rescues every year, and nearly half never find a home. The foundation was established in 2008 by Mars Petcare, maker of PEDIGREE^® food for dogs, to help increase dog adoption rates. We've awarded more than 6,400 grants and over $15.3 million to U.S. and Canadian shelters and rescues that help dogs in need and have helped more than one million dogs through grants support. Since launching our Canadian grant program in 2022, we have provided more than $465,000 CAD to local shelters and rescues and Disaster Relief Grants across Canada. At PEDIGREE Foundation, we see a day when all dogs are safe, secure, fed well, cared for, and loved. See how you can help at PedigreeFoundation.org.

About Foster 50
Foster 50 is a national initiative to help animal shelters and foster-based rescues increase foster participation, run by a coalition of leading animal welfare organizations, including PEDIGREE Foundation, Maddie’s Fund, Adopt a Pet, MuttNation Foundation, ASPCA, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, Mutual Rescue and Outcomes for Pets Consulting. It’s a bold call-to-action designed to make fostering feel possible, urgent and rewarding – with the goal of driving impact across all 50 states. In 2025, its inaugural year, the program recruited more than 9,000 new foster parents, increased active foster participation by 11% and placed nearly 37,000 dogs and cats into foster homes – more than 11,000 of whom were adopted. The 2026 Foster 50 Challenge runs from May 1 through July 31.

Samantha Barron
WOI Communications
samantha@woicommunications.com

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.